OLD NEWS CUTTINGS
Australias best known Treasure Hunter Allan Robinson,
Dutch East Indies (VOC) shipwrecks and more old news!
1897 September 3rd. 'THE WESTERN MAIL'
THE TREASURE TROVE OF THE ABROLHOS.
In this year's volume of the transactions of the Royal Geographical Society of Aus-
tralasia is published an interesting list of the relics found on Gun Island, of the Abrolhos Group, since the occupation of the same by Messrs. Broadhurst, MacNeil and Co. They are conjectured to be relics from the Dutch vessel Zeewyk, wrecked on the Abrolhos in 1727 :-- |
To the Hon. Secretary Royal Geogra-
phical Society of Australasia, Victoria. Dear Sir,—The following is an accurate list of the relics found on Gun Island of the Houtman Group since our occupation. Articles sent by us to Sir John Forrest, and now in the Perth Museum —3 large and 24 small cannon balls, 15 flagon-shaped bottles, 1 earthenware jar, 14 rosary beads, 9 lead sinkers, 22 claw pipes and stems, 5 copper fishooks, 5 knives, (much cor-roded), 6 pieces of lock flint, 7 brass but-tons, 5 leaden weights, 16 pistol bullets, 2 copper kettles, 1 glass demijohn, 1 leaden inkpot, 2 coloured tumblers, 1 brass tap, 1 copper pot, 1 copper vessel cover for padlocking, 1 wine glass, 2 pieces ord- nance, 1 silver coin, Phillip IV. of Spain ; 3 copper coins, between 1702 and 1724; sundries, including a small piece of copper marked "Zeeland," and two remains of lignum vitae block sheaves; 1 silver coin sent to Wm. Marden, Esq., 14 Fenchurch-street,London, E.C. (a rix-dollar of the city of Utrecht, date 1726.) In possession of Mrs. G. A. Clifton, Perth : 2 wine glasses of very antique fashion. In possession of M. Brown, Esq., Gerald- ton: 1 wine glass, similar to above. A few copper coins, and sundry of the flagon-shaped bottles, besides a few odds and ends have got into the hands of the: public through our employees. They could not be traced or enumerated. The following articles now in Perth Museum :— 3 large silver coins of Phillip IV. of Spain, dated 1633 and 1638 respec- tively; 1 Chinese copper coin. An edu- cated Chinaman tells me it is of the reign of Mon Late, 835 years ago. 1 silver coin supposed to be a piece of eight, date not decipherable, has been hammered, or rather was so when found ; 2 silver coins (denominations 6s.), dated 1685 and 1690 respectively ; 1 large rix-dollar, city of Utrecht, 1726; 3 silver coins (denomination 2s), Zeelandia, dated 1708, 1722 and 1724 respectively ; 1 silver coin (denomination 2s), Hollandia, dated 1709,1 silver coin, West Frisia, 1707; 1 silver coin, Frisia, 1652 ; 5 silver coins (4 Frisia,1 Zeelandia) of 17th century, dates not decipherable ; 1 British half-penny, George I., 1720 ; 1 Dutch cooper coin, inscribed, z Dater, S.M., reverse, Publica Fide and figure of Liberty, date 1710 ; 45 copper coins, as below, all inscribed Hollandia, on reserve, lion standing in centre of kraal holding hat on staff in attitude of defiance (supposed to be design for the Dutch East India Company)—12 not de- cipherable owing to corrosion, 8 dated 1702, 1 1707, 1 1710, 1 1714, 2 1715, 1 1716, 10 1720, 4 1721, 4 1723, 1 1726—45 in all. Summary of coins : 18 silver and 48 copper. 2 copper pieces off muskets, one inscribed "Kamer Zeeland," the other "Cameer Zeeland." A large number of copper articles, com- prising fishhooks, manufactored on the spot ; roughly made copper dishes for using grease lights in ; numerous kinds of buckles, some of which are apparently gilt, more or less : ordinary pins (of copper) with old-fashioned heads; sundry scissors, several spoons and part of spoons; numerous brass buttons; sundry curtain rings; musket fitting; funnel; tap; seaman's hanger guard; copper parts of blocks and sundry small articles of different kinds, all copper. A number of iron articles including re- mains of knives; several cannon balls, two sizes; two shells for ordnance |
(one of these had still black matter resembling powder in it); chest locks, chest handles, sundry pieces corroded iron.
A number of leaden articles; fishing sinkers; weights; spoon; and upwards of 1,000 pistol bullets of varying sizes. One pair very fine silver button (for officer's cape); legend on them, Joseph escaping from Potiphar's wife. These are just now in London Several varieties of Lignum vitae wood. Several lumps of pitch excavated 5 feet deep. A number of different shaped bottles of various sizes. Two tobacco boxes with devices, town of Leyden on one, on other Dutch house and figures of women and departing mariner on lid,on bottom figure of ship departing and woman waving hand, also, Dutch proverb. "Eerst 't Gelt verbruyt, Dan't Zoegat uyt." Translated by Mr. Siebenhaar, or Perth, as: "First the money spent, Then the sea-hole out," or, in more intelligible English, "First spend the money, Then out (of the port) to sea." A number of sundries : clay pipe and stems, broken wine glasses and broken tumblers, fossilised cork, several hundred rosary beads, broken pottery, pieces of slate bone razor handles and buttons, part of old, flint gun lock with undecipherable Dutch inscription ; sundry pieces flint. List of coins found on Gun Island,Hout- man's Abrolhos, since January 1, 1894-- Three silver coins about, the size of an English half-crown piece; Latin inscription all fairly decipherable. Dates-1688,1638, 1636, Phillip IV., King of Spain and the Indies (PHIL. IIII., D.G., HISP. ET IN- DIAR. REX). The monarch in the centre, this on one side, and on the other a coat of arms with a lion standing on each side, and the inscription ABCHID. AVST, DVX. BR VG. BRAB. 1 small silver coin, Dutch, 1657, Frisia; 1 medium-size silver coin, Dutch, 1699, Lat. inscriptions ; 1 small silver coin, Dutch, 1709, Hollandia ; l small silver coin, Dutch, l722,Zeelandia; 1 small silver coin, Dutch, 1724, Zeelandia ; 4 silver coins, dates not decipherable 87 copper coins, dates from 1702 to 1723, Dutch; 1 British coin, copper, George 1, 1720; 1 Chinese coin, which a, Chinese merchant in Geraldton tells me belongs to the time of Mon Late, King of China, 835 years ago; 52 coins in all, besides 2 pieces of gun locks marked "Cameer Zeeland," and other odds and ends. Besides the foregoing list, Captain J. Lort Stokes of H.M.S. Beagle,discovered a piece of cannon in 1840, and other articles mentioned in Major's "Early Aus- tralian Voyages." Surveyor-General S.J. Roe, of Western Australia, also found some articles in the sixties ; and finally Sir John Forrest during his visit to the Abrolhos in 1882 made some further finds of clay pipes, etc. Our own discoveries complete the history of these relics to date. We trust you will find these particulars useful, and mentioning that press copies of this communication are being furnished by us to the British Consul at Amsterdam and to the hon. secretary of the Hakluyt Society, British Museum, we remain, dear sir, yours faithfully, BROADHURST, MacNeil and Co. |
OZTREASURE NOTE:
About: BROADHURST, MacNeil and Co. Florance Constantine Broadhurst 1861-1909 was a 19th century Western Australian businessman who is most notable for successfully taking over the management of a number of business ventures of his notoriously unsuccessful father, Charles Edward Broadhurst, and turning a profit. |
he best known of these is the guano mining venture in the Houtman Abrolhos.
While managing this venture, Florance Broadhurst found a number of
artifacts that he believed to be relics of the 1629 "Batavia" shipwreck. He developed an interest in the wreck, and eventually obtained a copy of Isaac Commelin's 1647 "Ongeluckige voyagie, van't schip Batavia", the Dutch publication that first popularised
the "Batavia" incident. He commissioned Willem Siebenhaar to translate it, and
this resulted in what is still the only English translation, entitled
"The Abrolhos tragedy".
While managing this venture, Florance Broadhurst found a number of
artifacts that he believed to be relics of the 1629 "Batavia" shipwreck. He developed an interest in the wreck, and eventually obtained a copy of Isaac Commelin's 1647 "Ongeluckige voyagie, van't schip Batavia", the Dutch publication that first popularised
the "Batavia" incident. He commissioned Willem Siebenhaar to translate it, and
this resulted in what is still the only English translation, entitled
"The Abrolhos tragedy".
1907 WEST AUSTRALIA'S EARLY DAYS
The Geraldton Guardian June 18 1907
1924 THE MYSTERY OF THE GILT DRAGON
Published Friday 18th 1924 in ‘The Call’ (Perth, WA : 1920 - 1927)I found this fascinating, well written story which leads me to ask
“Is it Fact or Fiction?” Perhaps you can help me to decide?
‘The Call’ was Western Australia's critical, sporting, dramatic, motor, society and motion picture journal.
“Is it Fact or Fiction?” Perhaps you can help me to decide?
‘The Call’ was Western Australia's critical, sporting, dramatic, motor, society and motion picture journal.
THE MYSTERY OF THE GILT DRAGON A Story of the Early Dutch Explorers
Written for "The Call" by W. SIEBENHAAR.
For nearly three centuries the fate of the passengers of the Gilt Dragon
has been a mystery. On the 28th of April, 1656, the ship was wrecked on
the Western Australian coast, in latitude 30 degrees 40 minutes south;
118 lives were lost in the landing; over 70 reached the shore, and of
these 68 were left behind on the mainland to protect the treasure of 78,600
guilders and a cargo consisting mainly of general merchandise. One of the
boats made for Batavia with an appeal to the authorities for assistance.
When the plight of the survivors on the distant inhospitable beach of
a scarce known Continent was reported in the Dutch capital of Java, the
ships White Falcon and Good Hope were at once despatched to the res-
cue, but returned without having succeeded in their quest. In 1657 the
Finch made a further fruitless attempt to find traces of the lost people, and
in 1658 the Watch Buoy and the Emeloort left Batavia on a similar errand, which was equally abortive. In spite of repeated landings, not a sign
of the castaways, living or dead, was to be seen anywhere, and finally the
efforts were given up as hopeless.
Written for "The Call" by W. SIEBENHAAR.
For nearly three centuries the fate of the passengers of the Gilt Dragon
has been a mystery. On the 28th of April, 1656, the ship was wrecked on
the Western Australian coast, in latitude 30 degrees 40 minutes south;
118 lives were lost in the landing; over 70 reached the shore, and of
these 68 were left behind on the mainland to protect the treasure of 78,600
guilders and a cargo consisting mainly of general merchandise. One of the
boats made for Batavia with an appeal to the authorities for assistance.
When the plight of the survivors on the distant inhospitable beach of
a scarce known Continent was reported in the Dutch capital of Java, the
ships White Falcon and Good Hope were at once despatched to the res-
cue, but returned without having succeeded in their quest. In 1657 the
Finch made a further fruitless attempt to find traces of the lost people, and
in 1658 the Watch Buoy and the Emeloort left Batavia on a similar errand, which was equally abortive. In spite of repeated landings, not a sign
of the castaways, living or dead, was to be seen anywhere, and finally the
efforts were given up as hopeless.
Only a melancholy impersonal interest can at this time still attach to
the historical mystery with regard to these unfortunate people. And yet,
when recently a most unexpected light was thrown on the sequel to the tragic
event of the wreck, and I was the first to realise what facts stood suddenly
revealed, I felt stirred to the depth of my heart, with a feeling, as if even at this late date the discovery meant the actual rescue of the long lost ones.
This is what happened:
Not many days ago, my friend, Paul Ecclesborough, the surveyor, [I can find nobody with that name and ‘Ecclesborough’ seems to be a town in England] came in to me in a state of considerable excitement, and placed an old tin box in front of me, worn and scaling with rust, which he had carefully tied up to keep it from falling to pieces. He untied the cords, opened the box, and showed me a packet of old parchments, closely written on, with ink, which age had bleached almost out of recognition.
"This," he said, "is a thing for you to decipher. It isn't English, and I feel sure it is Dutch. And I feel equally sure that it relates to the almost forgotten wreck of the Gilt Dragon. I found this box three miles inland from the coast north east of Green Island, [This might have been a mistranslation. ‘Green Island’ near Albany is more like 400 miles from the Gilt Dragon wrecksite. Green Head is more likely as it is located approximately ]. in a small, well concealed cave, which I accidentally discovered owing to the hollow sound of the rock under the hoofs of my horse.
I can't stay now, but I'll be able to come and see you again in a week's time, and I trust that as a good fellow, you'll by then be in a position to tell me what it's all about."
I turned over the sheets in amazement, and wanted to start immediately on the secrets they would reveal, but he stopped me, saying that he had absolutely not a minute to spare then, but would hear all about it on his return.
Since then I have made the following rough translation of the contents
of these old documents, and with the permission of Mr. Ecclesborough
am now placing the result of my labours before the readers of
"The Call." The story, and its ending, speak for themselves
the historical mystery with regard to these unfortunate people. And yet,
when recently a most unexpected light was thrown on the sequel to the tragic
event of the wreck, and I was the first to realise what facts stood suddenly
revealed, I felt stirred to the depth of my heart, with a feeling, as if even at this late date the discovery meant the actual rescue of the long lost ones.
This is what happened:
Not many days ago, my friend, Paul Ecclesborough, the surveyor, [I can find nobody with that name and ‘Ecclesborough’ seems to be a town in England] came in to me in a state of considerable excitement, and placed an old tin box in front of me, worn and scaling with rust, which he had carefully tied up to keep it from falling to pieces. He untied the cords, opened the box, and showed me a packet of old parchments, closely written on, with ink, which age had bleached almost out of recognition.
"This," he said, "is a thing for you to decipher. It isn't English, and I feel sure it is Dutch. And I feel equally sure that it relates to the almost forgotten wreck of the Gilt Dragon. I found this box three miles inland from the coast north east of Green Island, [This might have been a mistranslation. ‘Green Island’ near Albany is more like 400 miles from the Gilt Dragon wrecksite. Green Head is more likely as it is located approximately ]. in a small, well concealed cave, which I accidentally discovered owing to the hollow sound of the rock under the hoofs of my horse.
I can't stay now, but I'll be able to come and see you again in a week's time, and I trust that as a good fellow, you'll by then be in a position to tell me what it's all about."
I turned over the sheets in amazement, and wanted to start immediately on the secrets they would reveal, but he stopped me, saying that he had absolutely not a minute to spare then, but would hear all about it on his return.
Since then I have made the following rough translation of the contents
of these old documents, and with the permission of Mr. Ecclesborough
am now placing the result of my labours before the readers of
"The Call." The story, and its ending, speak for themselves
"LAMENTABLE FATE OF
THE 68 SHIPWRECKED PASSENGERS OF THE GILT DRAGON."
"I, Frans Dirks, in this solitary place, on a desolate Continent, far from my native land, but, I hope and trust, still under the protection of Almighty God, especially as regards the salvation of my eternal soul, even if this body must miserably perish, am today, 10th May, 1656, taking up my pen to describe the calamitous disasters that have befallen the castaways of the Gilt Dragon.
And I hope that my statement, which I shall leave concealed in this cave, may some day after my death be discovered by my countrymen, and serve to let them know what fate carried off this whole number of people in direst misery.
"The Gilt Dragon, after having been for several days driven eastward by
incessant squalls, suddenly, at 5 o'clock in the afternoon of the 28th
of April last, sighted low-lying land at a distance of about six miles, [Could they see 6 miles from a ship’s crow’s nest? I would have thought 3-4 miles would be the limit] and almost at the same time struck a reef whereon she became helplessly pinned. As she at once started shipping heavy seas. Captain Pieter Albertz immediately ordered the boats to be lowered in order to take ashore as many as possible of the ship's company. Each of the boats made two successive journeys through the rough seas to the shore, thus landing altogether 73 people, men, women and children; I, the ship's dominee, [A minister of the Dutch Reformed Church.] being one of their number. Then, from the beach on which we were collected, we suddenly saw our good ship burst asunder and sink with all the remaining people upon her, numbering 118, including her brave captain.
"At the sight, many of the women and children fell on their knees sobbing and moaning, and praying for mercy, whilst most of the men stared
at the sea in sullen, dumb despair.
"After this awful catastrophe, the most resolute among us realised that we must at once set about making preparations for the night which promised to be wet and stormy. Tents, which we had brought with us, were
put up, the provisions and portion of the cargo placed in safety, and every-
one provided with shelter. The children and most of the women, and some of the men, after all had taken some food, made themselves as comfortable as possible for such sleep as they would be able to get: the others sat, or stood, or strolled about in groups, unable to rest, and anxiously discussing their desperate plight.
The most able sailors at once suggested that five of them should, next morning, man the large boat, and in her seek to reach Batavia for assis-
tance. This plan was greatly applauded, and hope revived in all hearts at the prospect of their being rescued after a couple of months of fear-haunted exile from the world of their fellow-men.
"The next morning the roughness of the weather had considerably abated;
the freshness of the atmosphere and the brightness of the sky heartened
the five sailors for their adventurous enterprise; the large boat was fitted
out and provisioned for their long journey, and presently they were ready to set sail. All the people were on the beach to witness their departure and bid them Godspeed. The eyes of those remaining behind followed the boat until its sail had become a mere speck on the horizon, and soon it had completely vanished from sight."During the night some of us had discussed the various aspects of our situation, and planned a mode of life for our little community. Food stores were available for several months, but it was obvious that the
supply of water we had taken ashore would soon be exhausted, and that
our first care would he to seek a source of supply on or near the spot where fate had settled us. To this purpose, then, several of the men at once addressed themselves, whilst others wandered in various directions to reconnoitre the nature of the country in a general manner. The women, meanwhile, busied themselves with the nearer duties pertaining to the immediate comforts of life, and to the care and supervision of the children.
"I entered into further conversation with four of the older men, with a view to evolving, in the absence of the captain, whose death we had such
grievous cause to lament, a more or less definite plan of life for the whole
of our little settlement.
"I bethought myself of that first community formed by the followers of the great Teacher of our religion, doubtless on lines suggested by His explicit instructions. I was well acquainted with later efforts made, in times not so long past, to establish somewhat similar communities in the countries where Christianity was most firmly established. Well aware of inherent faults that largely caused their rapid disintegration, I also knew that the great obstacle to their success had been the existence of powerful hostile sections of humanity around them. This led me to think that, in view of our isolation we were here
in favorable circumstances to follow the original example, and that, if successful, we should thereby at the same time overcome the majority of
the practical difficulties of our situation, at any rate for a considerable
period. I communicated my ideas to the four men with whom I was con-
versing, and they wholly approved of them. We decided, therefore, that,
when the bulk of the castaways should have returned, we should call them
together, and I should address them on the subject.
"It was not very long before one of the wanderers returned with the news
that he had found certain rockholes which contained considerable stores
of rainwater. This was cheering news, as it secured to us safety for a suffi-
cient time, wherein to search for more permanent supplies.
"When, therefore, the majority of the people came back to the tents
about the middle of the day, for mealtime we took the opportunity of
calling them all together to listen to our proposals.
"I placed the whole project before them, first emphasising the practical
necessity of some systematic procedure in our mode of life, then pointing
out the eminent practicability and advantages of the schemes already
privately discussed, and finally reminding them of the sublime example
set to us in the biblical record. My words were greeted with an enthusi-
asm which I had hardly dared to expect. It was evident that so far as could be anticipated, the project would be a complete success. One of the audience, a man of a practical turn of mind, took up the discussion as soon as I had finished, and proposed that the five of us who had fully considered the plan should be asked to draw up a set of simple rules for the conduct of the communal life which was to be inaugurated, or, as a matter of fact, to be continued, since in reality the natural conditions of the situation had almost at once caused the first course of action to be approximately taken in the direc-
tion suggested. The proposal was carried by acclamation, and the five of us immediately started conferring about a draft of rules. The task was not a difficult one, for the lines that directly recommended themselves were those that had existed on the Gilt Dragon, with this main difference, that now everyone was to take part in the fulfilment of some of the duties required to be carried out.
But many hands make light work, and the equitable distribution of the vari-
ous tasks was not only a fairly simple matter, but entailed on everyone so
little exertion as to take up but a small portion of the leisure all enjoyed.
Soon, therefore, life was proceeding in the smoothest possible man-
ner. In order to supplement the foodstuffs with fresh meats, some of
the men put in a great deal of their time fishing from the rocks, which
here and there projected into the sea from, among the coastal sand-
dunes. Others scoured the neighbourhood for game, and discovered
the presence, in considerable abundance, of little animals of the size
of a large rabbit or small fox, which they caught in improvised traps, and
which provided a very palatable dish. The more adventurous would go inland some distance exploring the bushland and hilly country, more particularly with a view to finding permanent, water and edible vegetable growth; but in both objects they were unsuccessful, "And so the first week passed in
perfect, peace and comparative comfort, and had not the thought of our
perilous isolation been constantly present, together with the awful vi-
sion of the destruction of our fellow-passengers, life would have seem-
ed not only quite bearable, but set in a frame of health, liberty and ab-
sence of care, which would have almost amounted to happiness.
"The second week set in under equally propitious auspices.
"But at the hour of sunset on the second day, when, as had been made
a custom, the roll was called to make sure that everyone was present, one name failed to meet with due response, and it had to be surmised that the owner of that name, a young bosun's mate, known as Pieter Boorsma, had strayed too far to return in time. As it was found the next morning that he was still absent, half a dozen of the men, after a hasty breakfast, set out in search of him. An hour later they came back in great haste, and per-
turbation. Their tale was soon told: Having climbed a hill about two miles
out, they had in the distance heard most ominous sounds, a loud and
monotonous singsong of strident voices and the clicking together as of
pieces of hard wood. They had at once realised that a horde of savages
were near, and being practically unarmed, they had fled back post haste
to the tents.
THE 68 SHIPWRECKED PASSENGERS OF THE GILT DRAGON."
"I, Frans Dirks, in this solitary place, on a desolate Continent, far from my native land, but, I hope and trust, still under the protection of Almighty God, especially as regards the salvation of my eternal soul, even if this body must miserably perish, am today, 10th May, 1656, taking up my pen to describe the calamitous disasters that have befallen the castaways of the Gilt Dragon.
And I hope that my statement, which I shall leave concealed in this cave, may some day after my death be discovered by my countrymen, and serve to let them know what fate carried off this whole number of people in direst misery.
"The Gilt Dragon, after having been for several days driven eastward by
incessant squalls, suddenly, at 5 o'clock in the afternoon of the 28th
of April last, sighted low-lying land at a distance of about six miles, [Could they see 6 miles from a ship’s crow’s nest? I would have thought 3-4 miles would be the limit] and almost at the same time struck a reef whereon she became helplessly pinned. As she at once started shipping heavy seas. Captain Pieter Albertz immediately ordered the boats to be lowered in order to take ashore as many as possible of the ship's company. Each of the boats made two successive journeys through the rough seas to the shore, thus landing altogether 73 people, men, women and children; I, the ship's dominee, [A minister of the Dutch Reformed Church.] being one of their number. Then, from the beach on which we were collected, we suddenly saw our good ship burst asunder and sink with all the remaining people upon her, numbering 118, including her brave captain.
"At the sight, many of the women and children fell on their knees sobbing and moaning, and praying for mercy, whilst most of the men stared
at the sea in sullen, dumb despair.
"After this awful catastrophe, the most resolute among us realised that we must at once set about making preparations for the night which promised to be wet and stormy. Tents, which we had brought with us, were
put up, the provisions and portion of the cargo placed in safety, and every-
one provided with shelter. The children and most of the women, and some of the men, after all had taken some food, made themselves as comfortable as possible for such sleep as they would be able to get: the others sat, or stood, or strolled about in groups, unable to rest, and anxiously discussing their desperate plight.
The most able sailors at once suggested that five of them should, next morning, man the large boat, and in her seek to reach Batavia for assis-
tance. This plan was greatly applauded, and hope revived in all hearts at the prospect of their being rescued after a couple of months of fear-haunted exile from the world of their fellow-men.
"The next morning the roughness of the weather had considerably abated;
the freshness of the atmosphere and the brightness of the sky heartened
the five sailors for their adventurous enterprise; the large boat was fitted
out and provisioned for their long journey, and presently they were ready to set sail. All the people were on the beach to witness their departure and bid them Godspeed. The eyes of those remaining behind followed the boat until its sail had become a mere speck on the horizon, and soon it had completely vanished from sight."During the night some of us had discussed the various aspects of our situation, and planned a mode of life for our little community. Food stores were available for several months, but it was obvious that the
supply of water we had taken ashore would soon be exhausted, and that
our first care would he to seek a source of supply on or near the spot where fate had settled us. To this purpose, then, several of the men at once addressed themselves, whilst others wandered in various directions to reconnoitre the nature of the country in a general manner. The women, meanwhile, busied themselves with the nearer duties pertaining to the immediate comforts of life, and to the care and supervision of the children.
"I entered into further conversation with four of the older men, with a view to evolving, in the absence of the captain, whose death we had such
grievous cause to lament, a more or less definite plan of life for the whole
of our little settlement.
"I bethought myself of that first community formed by the followers of the great Teacher of our religion, doubtless on lines suggested by His explicit instructions. I was well acquainted with later efforts made, in times not so long past, to establish somewhat similar communities in the countries where Christianity was most firmly established. Well aware of inherent faults that largely caused their rapid disintegration, I also knew that the great obstacle to their success had been the existence of powerful hostile sections of humanity around them. This led me to think that, in view of our isolation we were here
in favorable circumstances to follow the original example, and that, if successful, we should thereby at the same time overcome the majority of
the practical difficulties of our situation, at any rate for a considerable
period. I communicated my ideas to the four men with whom I was con-
versing, and they wholly approved of them. We decided, therefore, that,
when the bulk of the castaways should have returned, we should call them
together, and I should address them on the subject.
"It was not very long before one of the wanderers returned with the news
that he had found certain rockholes which contained considerable stores
of rainwater. This was cheering news, as it secured to us safety for a suffi-
cient time, wherein to search for more permanent supplies.
"When, therefore, the majority of the people came back to the tents
about the middle of the day, for mealtime we took the opportunity of
calling them all together to listen to our proposals.
"I placed the whole project before them, first emphasising the practical
necessity of some systematic procedure in our mode of life, then pointing
out the eminent practicability and advantages of the schemes already
privately discussed, and finally reminding them of the sublime example
set to us in the biblical record. My words were greeted with an enthusi-
asm which I had hardly dared to expect. It was evident that so far as could be anticipated, the project would be a complete success. One of the audience, a man of a practical turn of mind, took up the discussion as soon as I had finished, and proposed that the five of us who had fully considered the plan should be asked to draw up a set of simple rules for the conduct of the communal life which was to be inaugurated, or, as a matter of fact, to be continued, since in reality the natural conditions of the situation had almost at once caused the first course of action to be approximately taken in the direc-
tion suggested. The proposal was carried by acclamation, and the five of us immediately started conferring about a draft of rules. The task was not a difficult one, for the lines that directly recommended themselves were those that had existed on the Gilt Dragon, with this main difference, that now everyone was to take part in the fulfilment of some of the duties required to be carried out.
But many hands make light work, and the equitable distribution of the vari-
ous tasks was not only a fairly simple matter, but entailed on everyone so
little exertion as to take up but a small portion of the leisure all enjoyed.
Soon, therefore, life was proceeding in the smoothest possible man-
ner. In order to supplement the foodstuffs with fresh meats, some of
the men put in a great deal of their time fishing from the rocks, which
here and there projected into the sea from, among the coastal sand-
dunes. Others scoured the neighbourhood for game, and discovered
the presence, in considerable abundance, of little animals of the size
of a large rabbit or small fox, which they caught in improvised traps, and
which provided a very palatable dish. The more adventurous would go inland some distance exploring the bushland and hilly country, more particularly with a view to finding permanent, water and edible vegetable growth; but in both objects they were unsuccessful, "And so the first week passed in
perfect, peace and comparative comfort, and had not the thought of our
perilous isolation been constantly present, together with the awful vi-
sion of the destruction of our fellow-passengers, life would have seem-
ed not only quite bearable, but set in a frame of health, liberty and ab-
sence of care, which would have almost amounted to happiness.
"The second week set in under equally propitious auspices.
"But at the hour of sunset on the second day, when, as had been made
a custom, the roll was called to make sure that everyone was present, one name failed to meet with due response, and it had to be surmised that the owner of that name, a young bosun's mate, known as Pieter Boorsma, had strayed too far to return in time. As it was found the next morning that he was still absent, half a dozen of the men, after a hasty breakfast, set out in search of him. An hour later they came back in great haste, and per-
turbation. Their tale was soon told: Having climbed a hill about two miles
out, they had in the distance heard most ominous sounds, a loud and
monotonous singsong of strident voices and the clicking together as of
pieces of hard wood. They had at once realised that a horde of savages
were near, and being practically unarmed, they had fled back post haste
to the tents.
"It had not so far occurred to the castaways to carry arms more formidable than sailors' knives, for the country had seemed uninhabited and devoid of the fiercer forms of animal life. Now, however, all the men bethought themselves at once of the small supply of fire-arms they had brought away from the ship, and a few cutlasses that were also available. For the present a certain num-
ber of them contented themselves with keeping guard with loaded muskets. It was realised that the savages probably knew of the presence of the castaways, but in view of the large number of white people it was not feared that the natives were likely to attack them. And should this confident hope be disappointed, the warm reception of a volley of musketry fire would surely drive off an enemy not acquainted with 'civilised' warfare. Some of our more adventurous men even suggested approaching the blacks, with a view to making friends with them and seeking to find out what had become of Pieter Boorsma. But others held that Boorsma's disappearance was no doubt due to 'native treachery,' and as our women and children needed all our protection, it was decided not to take any risks.
"The movements of all the castaways were now wholly restricted, for all received warning of the grave risk they ran in straying from the en-
campment. Night and day the imaginations ran riot, conjuring up pictures of horrible attacks by savages, whose spying forms many of us fancied we saw behind every scrub or tree. The only departures from the settlement were made by small groups of armed men, who, indeed, were limited to eleven, as that was the exact number of muskets available.
"This more or less alarming state of affairs continued for several days, without the sight or the sound of any native being authentically reported.
On the 17th day from the landing, however, Hendrik Camperdonk and
Willem Gerritz, two young sailors, gave a circumstantial account of a
small group of dark people they had seen stealing through the bush not
more than a mile from the tents.
Their statement caused considerable anxiety, and the armed men were asked by us to divide the hours of watching, and keep a particularly sharp look-out. The two sailors kept together, taking up their station as sentries to the south-east of the settlement, about a quarter of a mile out, while half the remainder of the armed men watched in other directions. I had intentionally refrained
from asking Hendrik and Willem any searching questions in the presence
of the crowd, in order that the alarm already raised might not be needlessly augmented. I now, however, wished to use the darkness for the purpose of approaching the two young men quietly and interrogating them, so as to obtain a correct estimate of our danger.
"I walked through the scrub as stealthily as I could, intending to speak to the sentries only when quite close to them. But I must still have
been some fifty yards away, when, to my astonishment, I heard the sound of several voices, mostly one at a time, but often more than one at once. And I distinctly recognised those of some of the other armed sentries. What was happening?
Were all the armed men holding a conference? I still walked on mechanically, but instinctively remaining well concealed behind the trees and scrub. Presently, however, I thought it as well to stop, for one or two of the speakers seemed rather excited, and I distinctly caught words which filled me with concern.
"One voice, which sounded thick, as if the speaker was slightly intoxicated, confirmed that impression by peremptorily asking someone to pass him the bottle.
"Another voice, sober but gruff, ordered the previous one to be quiet, and not interrupt the discussion. I then distinctly understood the following words: 'We must do better than Jerome Cornelis. He had too much armed opposition. We have a better chance, as we are all in this.'
"I was horrified. The name of Jerome, that terrible mutineer, was so well known in the Lowlands, that I at once realised what was going on.
Was it possible that these young men, mostly unmarried sailors, but some having wives at home, though not here, were so depraved as to be attracted by the shameful example of that cruel pervert? If so, it was obvious that no remonstrances of mine would stop their dastardly conspiracy. I felt that my only course was to listen a little longer, so as to learn, if possible, what their exact intentions were, and then to consider what action could be taken.
"And, indeed, I had not to wait long. For the same voice unfolded a plan which in no way fell short of the gruesome deeds perpetrated thirty years ago on the Abrolhos Islands. And I did not fail to estimate the repulsive role which apparently I, myself, was intended to play in the contemplated tragedy.
"The scheme appeared to be as follows: That same night, this armed gang intended to rush the settlement, surprise and kill all the men, except myself, kill certain women for whom they had no use, kill the children, make me a prisoner, and compel me to marry the unfortunate widows and single girls left alive to the scoundrels that fancied them. By some strange and fatuous mental distortion these criminals could not be satisfied with anything short of 'holy matrimony" with which to crown their misdeeds The speaker had carefully
worked out his plan in every detail. He had been a busy man since our
landing. He knew a cave some three miles off — the one in which I am at present writing this account. In it he had stored everything required for the solemnity that was to follow the murders. He had known of a box of parchments among the ship's belongings, intended for record purposes, and had judged that they would serve admirably as marriage certificates. Evidently he also had known where the gin and other property of the Company was kept. The finale to the whole diabolical performance would, after all, have to
be purely imitative. They were to sail in the second boat, either without the women, or with such of them as proved tractable, and certainly with the 78,600 guilders, which they would in the end divide among themselves, when they had reached some safe place on the main shipping route of the Eastern half of the world.
"I listened with beating heart, wondering what I could possibly do to prevent this second and worse tragedy. I felt utterly helpless, for everyone except this gang of murderers and thieves was unarmed, and flight was absolutely impossible. It would have been almost more merciful for the defenceless ones to fall into the hands of the savages, who, I could not help thinking, would more probably kill people out of revenge than for such cruel purposes as these
degenerates of my own race. "For some minutes I struggled with my thoughts and feelings, and then, being convinced that absolutely the only forlorn hope lay in an appeal to their hardened natures, I boldly stepped forward and suddenly appeared in the midst of the gang.
What was my astonishment when I saw among them the lost man, Pieter
Boorsma, and presently found that he was the person who had so care-
fully described the whole plot. He was a man of few words on board, and therefore I had never had a proper opportunity of remembering his voice. That opportunity, indeed, had now come.
" 'Hullo!' he said. 'Here is the parson himself. What may you want?"
"I looked at him earnestly, and without hesitation told him that I
had heard every word he had just spoken to the other men.
"He immediately interrupted me, saying, 'All the better; then we need
explain nothing further. We'll take you to the cave at once.'
"Without giving me a chance of remonstrating with them, they fell upon me, and led me through the bush. Arriving at the cave they produced cords and bound my hands, pushed me inside, and then, having also tied my legs, left me helpless on the floor and immediately departed.
"The hours that followed seemed an eternity. But all of a sudden there was an extraordinary noise outside the cave, as of feet hurrying past, of the chattering of unintelligible language by harsh voices, such as I had never heard before, and the clicking of hard pieces of wood; and like a nightmare the whole demoniac gang passed by, once more leaving a deadly silence.
"And again several hours must have gone by without a sound or any happening, whilst I lay there conjecturing what might be the meaning
of it all.
"At last the new day seemed to rise, for a faint light streamed in through the cave-opening, and I heard wonderful passionate birdnotes heralding the dawn. And then, from the fact that the conspirators had not returned, I felt sure that only one conclusion was possible. They had begun the dreadful work they had resolved upon, and at some stage of the ghastly proceedings the ever-
watchful savages, who had no doubt kept near the settlement for a very definite purpose, had judged that their chance had come when white people were destroying white people, and had suddenly fallen upon the struggling mass of humanity, killing both attackers and attacked, who were too fully engaged to be prepared for a third party of combatants. These aboriginal experts at killing would naturally make a far better and shorter job of such massacre than the tyros of civilisation. It was terrible to imagine the scene of carnage. My mind was in a state of despair bordering on frenzy. Utterly alone in a wild, strange, hostile world, and incapable of moving.
"And yet daylight and the notes of birds seemed to bring a feeling of hope, however unwarranted.
"My eyes wandered round the walls of the cave, and I observed the curious crystal formations projecting everywhere.
"The rock in one corner jutted out with a very sharp ledge.
"Suddenly an idea crossed my mind. If I could roll myself over several times until I reached that ledge would it not be possible to rub the cords against it until they were cut?
"No sooner conceived than the idea was carried out .Not without much effort I reached the spot, and, raising my tied feet, I got them each on one
side of the thin, sharp ledge, pressing the cords hard against it, and moving my stiffened legs up and down with all the strength that was left in them. From time to time I had to lie still and rest; yet in less than a quarter of an hour my feet were free, and I rolled over till, with a jerk, I could rise to my knees, stand up and walk about. To stand was to rest. My hands were still tied
on my back, but the same operation that had freed my lower limbs soon also liberated my arms, and once more I was completely free to move every part of my body.
"I felt that I must at once have some food and drink to overcome the exhaustion that nearly made me faint, and fortunately the mutineers had
stored plenty of provisions in the cave which I found without any difficulty.
"Although I had had no sleep, the freshness of the morning and the effect of nourishment rapidly restored me to health and vigour, and, after having peeped out of the cave, and noticed nothing suspicious, I stepped outside. Was it safe to explore further? I felt so strongly tempted to take the risk, that I walked on about a mile through the bush westward, taking direction by the sun. I realised that I should thus find the beach, from whence it would not
be difficult to trace the spot of the encampment. To the south of me there was a low ridge of hills, and it suddenly struck me that I might go to the top, in the hope of being able thence to survey much of the landscape.
"When I had nearly ascended the rise, I heard strange and confused
noises, which rapidly became louder as I reached the top. A weird, slightly nasal singsong of combined voices, and the clicking of wood heard by me before. But where I was I could see nothing, the bush being too dense. Some twenty yards more westward, however, there seemed to be an opening in the scrub, and I at once went there.
"A scene now met my eyes which, since, has haunted me every waking minute. Below, quite small and indistinct at a distance of a couple of miles, I saw a group of savage-looking dark human beings, performing the wildest kind of dances I ever beheld. They seemed naked, but some, judging by their shape so far off, appeared to wear on their head large objects which made them look much taller than the others. A crowd, probably the whole tribe, were sitting round in a circle. The noises went on monotonously all the time.
The most ominous thing to me was that I plainly recognised the spot.
It was that of our encampment. There was no doubt left; they had exterminated all our people, the good with the bad, and were now celebrating their victory.
ber of them contented themselves with keeping guard with loaded muskets. It was realised that the savages probably knew of the presence of the castaways, but in view of the large number of white people it was not feared that the natives were likely to attack them. And should this confident hope be disappointed, the warm reception of a volley of musketry fire would surely drive off an enemy not acquainted with 'civilised' warfare. Some of our more adventurous men even suggested approaching the blacks, with a view to making friends with them and seeking to find out what had become of Pieter Boorsma. But others held that Boorsma's disappearance was no doubt due to 'native treachery,' and as our women and children needed all our protection, it was decided not to take any risks.
"The movements of all the castaways were now wholly restricted, for all received warning of the grave risk they ran in straying from the en-
campment. Night and day the imaginations ran riot, conjuring up pictures of horrible attacks by savages, whose spying forms many of us fancied we saw behind every scrub or tree. The only departures from the settlement were made by small groups of armed men, who, indeed, were limited to eleven, as that was the exact number of muskets available.
"This more or less alarming state of affairs continued for several days, without the sight or the sound of any native being authentically reported.
On the 17th day from the landing, however, Hendrik Camperdonk and
Willem Gerritz, two young sailors, gave a circumstantial account of a
small group of dark people they had seen stealing through the bush not
more than a mile from the tents.
Their statement caused considerable anxiety, and the armed men were asked by us to divide the hours of watching, and keep a particularly sharp look-out. The two sailors kept together, taking up their station as sentries to the south-east of the settlement, about a quarter of a mile out, while half the remainder of the armed men watched in other directions. I had intentionally refrained
from asking Hendrik and Willem any searching questions in the presence
of the crowd, in order that the alarm already raised might not be needlessly augmented. I now, however, wished to use the darkness for the purpose of approaching the two young men quietly and interrogating them, so as to obtain a correct estimate of our danger.
"I walked through the scrub as stealthily as I could, intending to speak to the sentries only when quite close to them. But I must still have
been some fifty yards away, when, to my astonishment, I heard the sound of several voices, mostly one at a time, but often more than one at once. And I distinctly recognised those of some of the other armed sentries. What was happening?
Were all the armed men holding a conference? I still walked on mechanically, but instinctively remaining well concealed behind the trees and scrub. Presently, however, I thought it as well to stop, for one or two of the speakers seemed rather excited, and I distinctly caught words which filled me with concern.
"One voice, which sounded thick, as if the speaker was slightly intoxicated, confirmed that impression by peremptorily asking someone to pass him the bottle.
"Another voice, sober but gruff, ordered the previous one to be quiet, and not interrupt the discussion. I then distinctly understood the following words: 'We must do better than Jerome Cornelis. He had too much armed opposition. We have a better chance, as we are all in this.'
"I was horrified. The name of Jerome, that terrible mutineer, was so well known in the Lowlands, that I at once realised what was going on.
Was it possible that these young men, mostly unmarried sailors, but some having wives at home, though not here, were so depraved as to be attracted by the shameful example of that cruel pervert? If so, it was obvious that no remonstrances of mine would stop their dastardly conspiracy. I felt that my only course was to listen a little longer, so as to learn, if possible, what their exact intentions were, and then to consider what action could be taken.
"And, indeed, I had not to wait long. For the same voice unfolded a plan which in no way fell short of the gruesome deeds perpetrated thirty years ago on the Abrolhos Islands. And I did not fail to estimate the repulsive role which apparently I, myself, was intended to play in the contemplated tragedy.
"The scheme appeared to be as follows: That same night, this armed gang intended to rush the settlement, surprise and kill all the men, except myself, kill certain women for whom they had no use, kill the children, make me a prisoner, and compel me to marry the unfortunate widows and single girls left alive to the scoundrels that fancied them. By some strange and fatuous mental distortion these criminals could not be satisfied with anything short of 'holy matrimony" with which to crown their misdeeds The speaker had carefully
worked out his plan in every detail. He had been a busy man since our
landing. He knew a cave some three miles off — the one in which I am at present writing this account. In it he had stored everything required for the solemnity that was to follow the murders. He had known of a box of parchments among the ship's belongings, intended for record purposes, and had judged that they would serve admirably as marriage certificates. Evidently he also had known where the gin and other property of the Company was kept. The finale to the whole diabolical performance would, after all, have to
be purely imitative. They were to sail in the second boat, either without the women, or with such of them as proved tractable, and certainly with the 78,600 guilders, which they would in the end divide among themselves, when they had reached some safe place on the main shipping route of the Eastern half of the world.
"I listened with beating heart, wondering what I could possibly do to prevent this second and worse tragedy. I felt utterly helpless, for everyone except this gang of murderers and thieves was unarmed, and flight was absolutely impossible. It would have been almost more merciful for the defenceless ones to fall into the hands of the savages, who, I could not help thinking, would more probably kill people out of revenge than for such cruel purposes as these
degenerates of my own race. "For some minutes I struggled with my thoughts and feelings, and then, being convinced that absolutely the only forlorn hope lay in an appeal to their hardened natures, I boldly stepped forward and suddenly appeared in the midst of the gang.
What was my astonishment when I saw among them the lost man, Pieter
Boorsma, and presently found that he was the person who had so care-
fully described the whole plot. He was a man of few words on board, and therefore I had never had a proper opportunity of remembering his voice. That opportunity, indeed, had now come.
" 'Hullo!' he said. 'Here is the parson himself. What may you want?"
"I looked at him earnestly, and without hesitation told him that I
had heard every word he had just spoken to the other men.
"He immediately interrupted me, saying, 'All the better; then we need
explain nothing further. We'll take you to the cave at once.'
"Without giving me a chance of remonstrating with them, they fell upon me, and led me through the bush. Arriving at the cave they produced cords and bound my hands, pushed me inside, and then, having also tied my legs, left me helpless on the floor and immediately departed.
"The hours that followed seemed an eternity. But all of a sudden there was an extraordinary noise outside the cave, as of feet hurrying past, of the chattering of unintelligible language by harsh voices, such as I had never heard before, and the clicking of hard pieces of wood; and like a nightmare the whole demoniac gang passed by, once more leaving a deadly silence.
"And again several hours must have gone by without a sound or any happening, whilst I lay there conjecturing what might be the meaning
of it all.
"At last the new day seemed to rise, for a faint light streamed in through the cave-opening, and I heard wonderful passionate birdnotes heralding the dawn. And then, from the fact that the conspirators had not returned, I felt sure that only one conclusion was possible. They had begun the dreadful work they had resolved upon, and at some stage of the ghastly proceedings the ever-
watchful savages, who had no doubt kept near the settlement for a very definite purpose, had judged that their chance had come when white people were destroying white people, and had suddenly fallen upon the struggling mass of humanity, killing both attackers and attacked, who were too fully engaged to be prepared for a third party of combatants. These aboriginal experts at killing would naturally make a far better and shorter job of such massacre than the tyros of civilisation. It was terrible to imagine the scene of carnage. My mind was in a state of despair bordering on frenzy. Utterly alone in a wild, strange, hostile world, and incapable of moving.
"And yet daylight and the notes of birds seemed to bring a feeling of hope, however unwarranted.
"My eyes wandered round the walls of the cave, and I observed the curious crystal formations projecting everywhere.
"The rock in one corner jutted out with a very sharp ledge.
"Suddenly an idea crossed my mind. If I could roll myself over several times until I reached that ledge would it not be possible to rub the cords against it until they were cut?
"No sooner conceived than the idea was carried out .Not without much effort I reached the spot, and, raising my tied feet, I got them each on one
side of the thin, sharp ledge, pressing the cords hard against it, and moving my stiffened legs up and down with all the strength that was left in them. From time to time I had to lie still and rest; yet in less than a quarter of an hour my feet were free, and I rolled over till, with a jerk, I could rise to my knees, stand up and walk about. To stand was to rest. My hands were still tied
on my back, but the same operation that had freed my lower limbs soon also liberated my arms, and once more I was completely free to move every part of my body.
"I felt that I must at once have some food and drink to overcome the exhaustion that nearly made me faint, and fortunately the mutineers had
stored plenty of provisions in the cave which I found without any difficulty.
"Although I had had no sleep, the freshness of the morning and the effect of nourishment rapidly restored me to health and vigour, and, after having peeped out of the cave, and noticed nothing suspicious, I stepped outside. Was it safe to explore further? I felt so strongly tempted to take the risk, that I walked on about a mile through the bush westward, taking direction by the sun. I realised that I should thus find the beach, from whence it would not
be difficult to trace the spot of the encampment. To the south of me there was a low ridge of hills, and it suddenly struck me that I might go to the top, in the hope of being able thence to survey much of the landscape.
"When I had nearly ascended the rise, I heard strange and confused
noises, which rapidly became louder as I reached the top. A weird, slightly nasal singsong of combined voices, and the clicking of wood heard by me before. But where I was I could see nothing, the bush being too dense. Some twenty yards more westward, however, there seemed to be an opening in the scrub, and I at once went there.
"A scene now met my eyes which, since, has haunted me every waking minute. Below, quite small and indistinct at a distance of a couple of miles, I saw a group of savage-looking dark human beings, performing the wildest kind of dances I ever beheld. They seemed naked, but some, judging by their shape so far off, appeared to wear on their head large objects which made them look much taller than the others. A crowd, probably the whole tribe, were sitting round in a circle. The noises went on monotonously all the time.
The most ominous thing to me was that I plainly recognised the spot.
It was that of our encampment. There was no doubt left; they had exterminated all our people, the good with the bad, and were now celebrating their victory.
"A sudden fear seized me, in spite of the unaccountable fascination there was in the eerie sight of men in their savage state. Might not any moment some of them come my way, see me even at a distance, and follow my tracks? I ran back to the cave as fast as I could, trusting that here at any rate they would probably not suspect the presence of a white survivor.
"And having here plenty of food for a couple of months, and water for at least a fortnight, thanks to the self-interested foresight of Boorsma, I determined not to take any risk again until absolutely compelled. A week has now passed since
the events related. It will take several weeks, before, in the most favourable circumstances, a ship can arrive from Batavia to rescue me. So in that respect there is no need for me at present to leave this cave. But the need of water will soon compel me to make a journey to the rockholes. However, day and night, I
pray that God may protect me."May 29, 1656. — I had a terrible dream last night, I had been thinking hard about the approaching necessity of going to the freshwater holes, and this may have caused my dream, although it may also be a prophecy, a divine warning to me to be prepared for the worst.
"In this dream I was walking out to the rocks, when, suddenly, a black savage rose up in front of me and threw a spear at me, after which everything went dark, and the moment after I woke up with a start.
"It seems a terrible omen. But even danger and terror, and the thought of death, are things to which one becomes more or less accustomed by constant familiarity . "In any case, I must act. I will start out without delay.
"But I will first empty the bottles of gin which Boorsma and his accomplices stored here.
"I must have water. "I have to choose- between dying of thirst and the risk of being killed by savages. "However, I am in the hands of God."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
By the same author:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/33143644?searchTerm=W.%20SIEBENHAAR%20treasure
"And having here plenty of food for a couple of months, and water for at least a fortnight, thanks to the self-interested foresight of Boorsma, I determined not to take any risk again until absolutely compelled. A week has now passed since
the events related. It will take several weeks, before, in the most favourable circumstances, a ship can arrive from Batavia to rescue me. So in that respect there is no need for me at present to leave this cave. But the need of water will soon compel me to make a journey to the rockholes. However, day and night, I
pray that God may protect me."May 29, 1656. — I had a terrible dream last night, I had been thinking hard about the approaching necessity of going to the freshwater holes, and this may have caused my dream, although it may also be a prophecy, a divine warning to me to be prepared for the worst.
"In this dream I was walking out to the rocks, when, suddenly, a black savage rose up in front of me and threw a spear at me, after which everything went dark, and the moment after I woke up with a start.
"It seems a terrible omen. But even danger and terror, and the thought of death, are things to which one becomes more or less accustomed by constant familiarity . "In any case, I must act. I will start out without delay.
"But I will first empty the bottles of gin which Boorsma and his accomplices stored here.
"I must have water. "I have to choose- between dying of thirst and the risk of being killed by savages. "However, I am in the hands of God."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
By the same author:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/33143644?searchTerm=W.%20SIEBENHAAR%20treasure
1931 ANCIENT COINS FOUND
NEAR MOORE RIVER, W.A.
BELIEVED TO BE REMAINS OF DUTCH TREASURE SHIP
The Barrier Miner Broken Hill NSW. Friday 6th February 1931
[Note: The coins found at Moore River were silver, not gold- Rex Woodmore]
The Golden Drake was engaged in trading between Holland and the Dutch East Indies, and when the vessel was wrecked 118 of the crew perished. The seven survivors who reached Batavia reported that six
others were left behind to protect the cargo and treasure on the ship. Several rescue ships failed to locate the wreck or the survivors, and the whereabouts of the castaways remained a mystery.
A few months ago a party went in search of the Golden Drake treasure in the belief that the survivors moved it from the ship and hid it on the mainland, but nothing was found.
others were left behind to protect the cargo and treasure on the ship. Several rescue ships failed to locate the wreck or the survivors, and the whereabouts of the castaways remained a mystery.
A few months ago a party went in search of the Golden Drake treasure in the belief that the survivors moved it from the ship and hid it on the mainland, but nothing was found.
1935 THE GILT DRAGON
Sunday Times Western Australia January 6, 1935
1935 The Gilt Dragon-Another Wreck Recalled
[The 'Dead Water' Wreck] January 13th 1935
1937 GILT DRAGON
To Search for Believed Lost Treasure
Daily News Tuesday 6th April 1937
1937 TREASURE TROVE?
WRECK OF THE GILT DRAGON AN EARLY ACCOUNT
Western Mail Perth WA September 30, 1937
CLUES FOR TODAY’S TREASURE HUNTERS
Found in old newspaper article.
Forbes Advocate, Tuesday, May 2nd, 1939
He made many rich hauls, and his hoard is said to be burled somewhere around the parts he frequented. Many have searched for It.
Its hiding place still remains a mystery.
Someday, an historian writes, some lucky wayfarer will kick aside the bole of an old stump and come upon the bushranger's loot.
Its hiding place still remains a mystery.
Someday, an historian writes, some lucky wayfarer will kick aside the bole of an old stump and come upon the bushranger's loot.
A bushranger's treasure is said to be buried near Heathcote, a little Victorian town.' Seventy odd years ago a large quantity of gold was supposed to have been buried about ten miles from
the town. The gold was the proceeds of a bushranging act, In which four members of a gold escort were shot.
Years afterwards, men appeared at the spot where the hold-up had taken place, claiming that they had information that the gold was buried near the scene.
the town. The gold was the proceeds of a bushranging act, In which four members of a gold escort were shot.
Years afterwards, men appeared at the spot where the hold-up had taken place, claiming that they had information that the gold was buried near the scene.
The land is now private property, and although several attempts have been made to locate the buried treasure, nobody has been successful.
It is significant, however, that a man Journeyed all the way from Canada to search for the hidden gold. The story had been told him by a mate who was believed to have been concerned in the robbery, and who alleged that the gold was hidden In a hollow tree. Incidentally, three men who were concerned in the hold-up were found guilty and hanged. |
Many fortunes arc supposed to be lying on the sea-floor waiting for some daring diver to locate them and bring them to the surface.
The coral seas of Torres Strait are probably richer in sunken treasure than any other part of Australian waters. The Strait is a veritable graveyard of ships. Divers have reported coming upon wrecks now covered almost entirely with thick coral, arid it is thought that these mysterious wrecks are the remains of the ships of Spain which, centuries ago, made great use of the Strait. |
Fifty years ago, beneath the anchor of one of these wrecks, a fisherman found a small fortune in ancient Spanish dollars. Spanish coins have been picked up on many of the islands that
litter Torres Strait, and many of the natives have traded ancient gold coins to visitors.
litter Torres Strait, and many of the natives have traded ancient gold coins to visitors.
Captain Kane, a pearler, while exploring Prince Edward Island forty odd years ago, found a cave almost hidden by dense scrub. He forced his way in, and came upon the skeleton of a tall man. A little away a huge, rusty sword of old Spanish design, was lying, with a small heap of doubloons. A few years later, a native of the Island disposed of a large golden goblet to Captain Brown, another pearler.
On being questioned the native declared he had found the goblet on the beach adjacent to the cave. |
Woodlark Island, off the Western Australian coast,
has its own treasure story.
has its own treasure story.
[ NOTE: The only Woodlark Island or 'Muyua' as it is known to its inhabitants, is the main island of the Woodlark Islands archipelago, Milne Bay Province and the Solomon Sea, Papua New Guinea (not WA) Rex Woodmore 2021]
- The Forbes Advocate (NSW : 1911 - 1954) Tue 2 May 1939
- Page 5 TREASURE TROVE IN AUSTRALIA
Woodlark Island, off the Western Australian coast, has its own treasure
story. There a quantity of treasure was recovered from the sea by a group of pearl fishermen over thirty-five years ago.
The clue to the treasure was provided by a native girl who was wearing a necklace and armlets and bracelets of strange gold coins.
She had found the coins at low tide on a nearby reef.
The remains of an ancient vessel were found some yards away, and from it several hundred coins were recovered.
story. There a quantity of treasure was recovered from the sea by a group of pearl fishermen over thirty-five years ago.
The clue to the treasure was provided by a native girl who was wearing a necklace and armlets and bracelets of strange gold coins.
She had found the coins at low tide on a nearby reef.
The remains of an ancient vessel were found some yards away, and from it several hundred coins were recovered.
She had found the coins at low tide on a nearby reef. The remains of an ancient vessel were found some yards away, and from it several hundred coins were recovered.
Many, years ago a lonely old man came to Queenscliff, Vic., to search for the treasure supposed to have been hidden there by Benito Bonito, the infamous pirate and buccaneer. The man
is said to have unearthed the treasure, and burled it in a different spot. He died, leaving no clues' to the new hiding-place. .
Several treasure-hunters are seeking the hidden hoard at the present time.
Pistols and swords were found in a cave under the school-house, and it is thought that the cave was the original hiding-place of Bonito's treasure before it was removed by the old man.
In 1890 a treasure of gold and silver Spanish coins valued at several thousand pounds, was found on the Great Barrier Reef by a pearl lugger down from Torres Strait. Four thousand sovereigns, buried by a man during the bank crisis in the nineties, were found in a field at West Maitland, N.S.W., in 1928, and eight years later, while ploughing on' the banks of the Hawkesbury River, a young farm-hand picked up a pickle-bottle full of sovereigns.The sovereigns were hidden by an old gold-miner named Painter, who burled three or four bottles of the coins on the property These have been dug for many times without success. Painter died about eighty years ago, and his grave Is near the spot where the bottle was found.
The farm-hand who dug up the bottle had never seen a sovereign before, and he asked interestedly about the "yellow discs in this bottle."
In December of 1934, a party of young men left Sydney to look for treasure on the Barrier Reef, where they believed an old Spanish galleon was wrecked three centuries before. Their "Treasure Island" was one of the group that borders ,the Witsunday Passage.
The natives who inhabit that group of islands have handed down stories of yellow men, probably Malay trepangers, and of white men visiting them long before Captain Cook saw eastern Australia. Their stories tell of how the children found, and played with, small objects that would appear to have been spoons and other silver articles from civilised Europe. The most the party found was a huge rudder post, and the wooden ribs of a ship of the galleon build lying among the mangroves of one of the islands. One lone Spanish coin also was discovered.
A number of Spanish dollars have been picked up on Murray Island, near the far northern end of the Barrier Reef. This would lend credence to a story that has been handed down among Murray Island natives for generations that many, many years ago a ship was wrecked on the reef surrounding the island. According to the legend, the survivors managed to bring some boxes of coins and gold ashore, but before they could complete their task the wreck slipped down into deep water. The natives killed all the
survivors and distributed the valuables among themselves.
The wreck has been located. It is now entirely covered by coral.
is said to have unearthed the treasure, and burled it in a different spot. He died, leaving no clues' to the new hiding-place. .
Several treasure-hunters are seeking the hidden hoard at the present time.
Pistols and swords were found in a cave under the school-house, and it is thought that the cave was the original hiding-place of Bonito's treasure before it was removed by the old man.
In 1890 a treasure of gold and silver Spanish coins valued at several thousand pounds, was found on the Great Barrier Reef by a pearl lugger down from Torres Strait. Four thousand sovereigns, buried by a man during the bank crisis in the nineties, were found in a field at West Maitland, N.S.W., in 1928, and eight years later, while ploughing on' the banks of the Hawkesbury River, a young farm-hand picked up a pickle-bottle full of sovereigns.The sovereigns were hidden by an old gold-miner named Painter, who burled three or four bottles of the coins on the property These have been dug for many times without success. Painter died about eighty years ago, and his grave Is near the spot where the bottle was found.
The farm-hand who dug up the bottle had never seen a sovereign before, and he asked interestedly about the "yellow discs in this bottle."
In December of 1934, a party of young men left Sydney to look for treasure on the Barrier Reef, where they believed an old Spanish galleon was wrecked three centuries before. Their "Treasure Island" was one of the group that borders ,the Witsunday Passage.
The natives who inhabit that group of islands have handed down stories of yellow men, probably Malay trepangers, and of white men visiting them long before Captain Cook saw eastern Australia. Their stories tell of how the children found, and played with, small objects that would appear to have been spoons and other silver articles from civilised Europe. The most the party found was a huge rudder post, and the wooden ribs of a ship of the galleon build lying among the mangroves of one of the islands. One lone Spanish coin also was discovered.
A number of Spanish dollars have been picked up on Murray Island, near the far northern end of the Barrier Reef. This would lend credence to a story that has been handed down among Murray Island natives for generations that many, many years ago a ship was wrecked on the reef surrounding the island. According to the legend, the survivors managed to bring some boxes of coins and gold ashore, but before they could complete their task the wreck slipped down into deep water. The natives killed all the
survivors and distributed the valuables among themselves.
The wreck has been located. It is now entirely covered by coral.
1939 THE GILT DRAGON WRECK
Old Mast in Sand hill. Sunday Times
25th February 1939
[There was no gold reported as found on the Gilt Dragon wreck.
The cargo of coins were all silver. Any gold would have been the personal belongings of those on board. Rex Woodmore 2019]
The cargo of coins were all silver. Any gold would have been the personal belongings of those on board. Rex Woodmore 2019]
1945 SUPPLEMENT TO "THE SUNDAY TIMES"
Who'll Find the Gilt Dragon's Treasure? January 7th 1945
Published 14 days before I was born January 1945.
Who would have even imagined that 19 years later I would be diving and finding treasure on the 1656 wreck of the Gilt Dragon? Rex Woodmore.
Who would have even imagined that 19 years later I would be diving and finding treasure on the 1656 wreck of the Gilt Dragon? Rex Woodmore.
WHO'LL FIND THE GILT DRAGON'S TREASURE?
- SUNDAY TIMES (Perth Western Australia) 7th JANUARY 1945
- In: SUPPLEMENT TO "THE SUNDAY TIMES"
|
Is there one of them who'd care to gamble a little in a search for 300-year-old hidden treasure ? Because, if there is, that treasure's at our back door waiting to be picked up.
Yes—80,000 gold coins and hundreds of silver ingots buried by fate on the coast of Western Australia, But here's the irony of it!
Twice this treasure has been accidentally discovered—and twice lost. And today it still lies, moulding probably with the bones of the men who buried it.
This is no Grecian fable of fountains running wine, as Macaulay put it. It is cold, hard historical fact, written, unhappily, in the blood of men who braved the seas for adventure sake. But let me tell it to you.
Did you ever hear of a ship called the Gilt Dragon? Maybe not; but, like a bird, wing stretched, and sweeping on her prey, she rode the sea nearly 300 years ago.
She was one of a fleet operated by the famous Dutch East India Company, and trading between Holland and Java.
And twice a year the Gilt Dragon slipped Holland's shores laden with a king's ransom to pay the officials at Batavia. As those officials were paid only twice a year, some
idea of the size of the "payroll" can be imagined.
Six months the trip usually took, around the Cape of Good Hope, then across the Indian Ocean, far to the north, of what the world had come to know as the Great
South Land (Western Australia).
And so we find stalwart Captain Alberta, one of the greatest skippers in the service of the
D.E.I, at the helm of the Gilt Dragon on the morning of October 4, 1655. Aboard her were 197 persons, and, after a good run to by Norman Gledhill the Cape, she took on fresh supplies. A few days later, scudding before a strong breeze, the Gilt Dragon passed another of the Dutch East India Company's ships, also head ing for Batavia.
And that was the last that was ever seen of the ship. Not for 9 months did the world
even hear of her .. . and then, one dramatic morning, 7 sun-blackened and half-starved men rowed a longboat into Batavia harbor.
Seven survivors of the Gilt Dragon! Seven out of 79 who had managed to scramble ashore when the ship foundered. The other 118 were drowned.
But—and here is what interests you and me most—with them those 7 living skeletons brought a report from Captain Alberta, and in it he told how,, having run into a fierce storm on the night of April 28, 1656, the Gilt Dragon had struck the coast of Western Australia!
And these were the bearings he gave: Latitude 30deg., 40mins.south ... a spot about 25 miles south of Green Head.
And it is from there that we've got to set out for that treasure.
You can imagine how the directors of the D.E.I. Company, crazy over the loss of their fortune, sent search party after search party to the desolate shores of the "Great
South Land." But never a trace of either the crew or the treasure did they find.
It wasn't, in fact, until a decade ago that history rolled back for a space the curtains
that had dropped over the ill-fated ship on April 28. 1656.
In a cave not far north of where the Gilt Dragon was said to have been wrecked, the skeleton of a white man was found. So long had it been there, washed by the sands and seas of time, that it crumpled when officials tried to remove it.
But alongside it were 23 small ingots of silver and a number of gold coins!
Further, those coins were of Dutch mintage! And FURTHER, they bore dates of 1618 to 1648!
Surely they were remnants of the wreck of the Gilt Dragon!
And I believe that, somewhere in the bush back from the coast, the rest of that treasure was planted by the luckless crew who, no doubt, hoped to be rescued and one day return to claim their reward.
What happened them the world will never know. But possibly the Myall blacks of 1656 told camp fire stories of strange men in strange garb whom they impaled on their spears. Remember, cannibalism wasn't at all unknown in those parts among the fierce
tribes. But here's the cream on the cake. A very few years ago, a well-known grazier from the north, searching for straying sheep, came across a circle of stones in the scrub, a few miles north and inland from lat. 30deg., 40min. south.
Strange, he thought, not another stone within miles. And each of these just about the size a man might carry with both hands.
Looks as though they were deliberately carted there.
By whom? He never stopped to think. Probably took it to be a burial place of the blacks. But when, years later, he read about the Gilt Dragon and tried to "rediscover" that spot, he failed.
Previously a naval expedition, under Captain Archdeacon, of the Royal Navy, was engaged in making a geographical survey of the Western Australian coast.
Among the party were Messrs. Osbourne and A. Burt. They had worked inland about 12 miles north of Green Head, and taking a short track back to their ship through the scrub, they, too, came across that circle of stones.
You'd have thought that, being navy men, they might just have heard one of the old-timers telling the tale of the Gilt Dragon. Had they done, no doubt they'd have realised that they were probably standing on the spot underneath which was burled 80.000 gold coins and hundreds of ingots! And history would have been written differently.
They too returned to search for the spot, but again the pitiless bush laughed in human faces. They went back disappointed. AND so the treasure of the Gilt Dragon sleeps on today where Dutch fingers planted it 300 years ago.
What I can't understand is that no enterprising company has ever been formed to furnish capital for a search party. What a great gamble it would be! It may be that, like most other things romantic about Australia, the majority have never heard of it.
She was one of a fleet operated by the famous Dutch East India Company, and trading between Holland and Java.
And twice a year the Gilt Dragon slipped Holland's shores laden with a king's ransom to pay the officials at Batavia. As those officials were paid only twice a year, some
idea of the size of the "payroll" can be imagined.
Six months the trip usually took, around the Cape of Good Hope, then across the Indian Ocean, far to the north, of what the world had come to know as the Great
South Land (Western Australia).
And so we find stalwart Captain Alberta, one of the greatest skippers in the service of the
D.E.I, at the helm of the Gilt Dragon on the morning of October 4, 1655. Aboard her were 197 persons, and, after a good run to by Norman Gledhill the Cape, she took on fresh supplies. A few days later, scudding before a strong breeze, the Gilt Dragon passed another of the Dutch East India Company's ships, also head ing for Batavia.
And that was the last that was ever seen of the ship. Not for 9 months did the world
even hear of her .. . and then, one dramatic morning, 7 sun-blackened and half-starved men rowed a longboat into Batavia harbor.
Seven survivors of the Gilt Dragon! Seven out of 79 who had managed to scramble ashore when the ship foundered. The other 118 were drowned.
But—and here is what interests you and me most—with them those 7 living skeletons brought a report from Captain Alberta, and in it he told how,, having run into a fierce storm on the night of April 28, 1656, the Gilt Dragon had struck the coast of Western Australia!
And these were the bearings he gave: Latitude 30deg., 40mins.south ... a spot about 25 miles south of Green Head.
And it is from there that we've got to set out for that treasure.
You can imagine how the directors of the D.E.I. Company, crazy over the loss of their fortune, sent search party after search party to the desolate shores of the "Great
South Land." But never a trace of either the crew or the treasure did they find.
It wasn't, in fact, until a decade ago that history rolled back for a space the curtains
that had dropped over the ill-fated ship on April 28. 1656.
In a cave not far north of where the Gilt Dragon was said to have been wrecked, the skeleton of a white man was found. So long had it been there, washed by the sands and seas of time, that it crumpled when officials tried to remove it.
But alongside it were 23 small ingots of silver and a number of gold coins!
Further, those coins were of Dutch mintage! And FURTHER, they bore dates of 1618 to 1648!
Surely they were remnants of the wreck of the Gilt Dragon!
And I believe that, somewhere in the bush back from the coast, the rest of that treasure was planted by the luckless crew who, no doubt, hoped to be rescued and one day return to claim their reward.
What happened them the world will never know. But possibly the Myall blacks of 1656 told camp fire stories of strange men in strange garb whom they impaled on their spears. Remember, cannibalism wasn't at all unknown in those parts among the fierce
tribes. But here's the cream on the cake. A very few years ago, a well-known grazier from the north, searching for straying sheep, came across a circle of stones in the scrub, a few miles north and inland from lat. 30deg., 40min. south.
Strange, he thought, not another stone within miles. And each of these just about the size a man might carry with both hands.
Looks as though they were deliberately carted there.
By whom? He never stopped to think. Probably took it to be a burial place of the blacks. But when, years later, he read about the Gilt Dragon and tried to "rediscover" that spot, he failed.
Previously a naval expedition, under Captain Archdeacon, of the Royal Navy, was engaged in making a geographical survey of the Western Australian coast.
Among the party were Messrs. Osbourne and A. Burt. They had worked inland about 12 miles north of Green Head, and taking a short track back to their ship through the scrub, they, too, came across that circle of stones.
You'd have thought that, being navy men, they might just have heard one of the old-timers telling the tale of the Gilt Dragon. Had they done, no doubt they'd have realised that they were probably standing on the spot underneath which was burled 80.000 gold coins and hundreds of ingots! And history would have been written differently.
They too returned to search for the spot, but again the pitiless bush laughed in human faces. They went back disappointed. AND so the treasure of the Gilt Dragon sleeps on today where Dutch fingers planted it 300 years ago.
What I can't understand is that no enterprising company has ever been formed to furnish capital for a search party. What a great gamble it would be! It may be that, like most other things romantic about Australia, the majority have never heard of it.
1953 DUTCH TREASURE STILL SOUGHT
AFTER THREE CENTURIES GILT DRAGON July 30 1953
The Times News - Hendersonville, North Carolina, USA
NOTE THE DATE: 1957 the news of the discovery of the Gilt Dragon was flashed around the World.
Allan Robinson & Bruce Phillips discovered the Gilt Dragon in 1957
1957 GILT DRAGON REPORTED FOUND
The Sydney Morning Herald September 10, 1957
1957 CORAL GUARDS SECRET OF
GILT DRAGON TREASURE
The Sun-Herald September 15 1957
1957 'GOLDEN DRAGON' (Gilt Dragon) LOCATED by ALLAN ROBINSON & BRUCE PHILLIPS
The Miami News November 17 1957
GILT DRAGON RE DISCOVERED
Comment by Rex Woodmore
In 1957 Allan Robinson & Bruce Philips were spear fishing in an area that they were unfamiliar with. They had only a glimpse of the wreck before strong winds came up. It was journalist Hugh Schmitt that insisted that they had found the Gilt Dragon. The bewildered divers were suddenly the center of news reports and WA Newspapers had already organised a trip for them to show them the site. In the days before GPS, this posed an embarrassing problem for Allan, Bruce and the boat skipper, (Frank Douglas) none of whom, at the time, realised the importance of what they saw and they had not taken any bearings of the site....."Could they find the reef again?"
..Sadly "No!" Not until 1963, thanks to 6 years of relentless and expensive searching by Allan Robinson.
1963 WRECK YIELDS ITS TREASURE
The Sydney Morning Herald May 1 1963
SKINDIVERS REPORT WRECK FIND
The Sydney Morning Herald May 3, 1963
Allan Robinson Applied for Gilt Dragon Salvage Rights
COINS - GILT DRAGON EVIDENCE
Sydney Morning Herald May 7 1963
THE RIDDLE OF THE GILT DRAGON
The Age May 9 1963
GILT DRAGON RELICS ON DISPLAY
The Sydney Morning Herald June 25 1963
1963 GILT DRAGON - CANNON HUNTER ?
The Sydney Herald June 25
Relics From Shipwreck On Display
OLD TREASURE Mr J Henderson and Mr J E Lewis, a member of the Australian Search and Recovery Unit of the Cannon Hunters' Association yesterday examine part of a collection of relics, believed to be from wreckage of the Dutch sailing ship, Gilt Dragon. The collection is being shown at TAA's Terminal, Elizabeth Street. (Sydney Morning Herald June 25 1963) |
The newspaper article above does not mention cannon being displayed but the photo does show Gilt Dragon Artefacts (Elephant tusk, Ballast bricks and Earthenware jugs) with a member of the Australian Search & Recovery Unit of the Cannon Hunters Association. I wonder if the Cannon Hunters' Association managed to acquire cannon from the Gilt Dragon?
1963 GILT DRAGON BLASTED
The Canberra Times November 16 1963
NOTE: REGARDING THE ABOVE ARTICLE: Rex Woodmore
Please note this article does not say, or even intimate that Allan Robinson damaged the wreck with explosives. On the contrary, Allan was an explosives expert; I have been in the water quite safely, while he detonated an explosive in a salvage operation on the wreck of the Georgette. He knew what he was doing.
It was not in Allan’s best financial interests to ‘’Blow up’’ precious artifacts and in fact he was quite disappointed to see the damage & loss of stoneware jugs. He told me of his suspicions as to who was responsible and on one occasion he even pointed to the ‘looters’ on their boat returning to shore from the direction of the wreck site. One of them saw us and gave Allan a sly grin and waive of his hand with a can of beer in it. These scrawny, rough looking types and their 'long lost silver' would have looked at home in a pirate movie with 'Long John Silver'.
About twenty years later, while walking my dog on the Canning River foreshore, I got into a conversation with a scruffy weather beaten old guy who was drinking a can of beer and getting his fishing tackle out of a badly dented aluminium dinghy. ( Somehow his face looked disturbingly familiar and the dog gave a little growl) I was surprised when he said he lived locally and waved his hand at the nearby million dollar mansions. He looked and sounded a bit crude for such an upmarket wealthy neighborhood. He chucked his empty can into the river and reached into an Esky for another and as if to read my mind carried on by saying "My neighbours are all snobs and won't have anything to do with me. But I don't care". I noticed the heavy silver chain hanging from his neck and the hammered silver coin that lay on his scrawny chest.
“That looks like a Piece of Eight from the Gilt Dragon” said I.
He replied with what seemed a familiar sly grin
“It sure is and I've got plenty of other stuff from it too”
He was quite upfront about how he and his mates would go out to the Gilt Dragon reef "...before the weekend, while ‘Robbo’ wasn't around and blast out the coins" as he said "
Rex Woodmore 13th October 2014 [email protected]
Since writing this, I have had time to think about that mans familiar sly grin (It is now 27th
Please note this article does not say, or even intimate that Allan Robinson damaged the wreck with explosives. On the contrary, Allan was an explosives expert; I have been in the water quite safely, while he detonated an explosive in a salvage operation on the wreck of the Georgette. He knew what he was doing.
It was not in Allan’s best financial interests to ‘’Blow up’’ precious artifacts and in fact he was quite disappointed to see the damage & loss of stoneware jugs. He told me of his suspicions as to who was responsible and on one occasion he even pointed to the ‘looters’ on their boat returning to shore from the direction of the wreck site. One of them saw us and gave Allan a sly grin and waive of his hand with a can of beer in it. These scrawny, rough looking types and their 'long lost silver' would have looked at home in a pirate movie with 'Long John Silver'.
About twenty years later, while walking my dog on the Canning River foreshore, I got into a conversation with a scruffy weather beaten old guy who was drinking a can of beer and getting his fishing tackle out of a badly dented aluminium dinghy. ( Somehow his face looked disturbingly familiar and the dog gave a little growl) I was surprised when he said he lived locally and waved his hand at the nearby million dollar mansions. He looked and sounded a bit crude for such an upmarket wealthy neighborhood. He chucked his empty can into the river and reached into an Esky for another and as if to read my mind carried on by saying "My neighbours are all snobs and won't have anything to do with me. But I don't care". I noticed the heavy silver chain hanging from his neck and the hammered silver coin that lay on his scrawny chest.
“That looks like a Piece of Eight from the Gilt Dragon” said I.
He replied with what seemed a familiar sly grin
“It sure is and I've got plenty of other stuff from it too”
He was quite upfront about how he and his mates would go out to the Gilt Dragon reef "...before the weekend, while ‘Robbo’ wasn't around and blast out the coins" as he said "
Rex Woodmore 13th October 2014 [email protected]
Since writing this, I have had time to think about that mans familiar sly grin (It is now 27th
GILT DRAGON BLASTED
(Copied from the image of the original article seen above)
Canberra Times Saturday, November 16, 1963
GILT DRAGON BLASTED
Police Constable Tony Martin with several candle sticks he salvaged while investigating explosion allegations on the Ledge Point wreck.
The ancient wreck at Ledge Point, on the coast of Western Australia, definitely has been blasted, according to a police party which visited it early this week.
The wreck, discovered this year, is believed to be that of the Gilt Dragon lost in 1656.
A number of skin divers have visited it and many interesting and valuable relics have been recovered.
Last Sunday, Constable A. P. Martin, police officer for the district and a member of the police diving squad, was shown the shattered reef and relics on the sea bottom.
"Charges have definitely been used - there is widespread evidence of the use of explosives," he said.He will make an official police report on the blasting.
First reports of the blasting were received after October 12 when journalist diver Jim Henderson and salesman Alan Robinson visited the wreck in separate parties.
Henderson and another diver John Cowen, who were together, said they were "appalled at the scene of wanton destruction."
Robinson at the wreck earlier on the same day with three companions said the damage area was only about 6ft. wide and it was hard to ascertain whether this had been caused by explosives.
During Sunday's diving, while Constable Martin was recovering a bronze candlestick with diver George Brenzi, a heavy section of the wreck, loosened by the blasting, fell between them.
"It was a nasty moment," said Brenzi. The block finished over my arm and against Constable Martin's shoulder. It could have pinned a single diver."
They estimated the section which fell weighed 200lb.
Many relics were recovered by the party, but the star finds of the day were a brass shoe buckle found by Brenzi, Constable Martin's candle-stick and a 1618 Spanish silver coin in excellent condition brought up by Roy Sonneman.
The divers were taken to the wreck by John Cowen of Wembley Downs and Jim Henderson, of Mt. Pleasant, aboard the 35ft. steel Cray boat Gay Jan.
Early in the day they visited the reef where the Cray boat’s skipper,
Graeme Fletcher said Alan Robinson claimed to have found the wreck in 1957.
This spot is about three miles away from the 1963 discovery.
FOOTNOTE: A controversy over who actually found the wreck has split the divers into two groups.
Police Constable Tony Martin with several candle sticks he salvaged while investigating explosion allegations on the Ledge Point wreck.
The ancient wreck at Ledge Point, on the coast of Western Australia, definitely has been blasted, according to a police party which visited it early this week.
The wreck, discovered this year, is believed to be that of the Gilt Dragon lost in 1656.
A number of skin divers have visited it and many interesting and valuable relics have been recovered.
Last Sunday, Constable A. P. Martin, police officer for the district and a member of the police diving squad, was shown the shattered reef and relics on the sea bottom.
"Charges have definitely been used - there is widespread evidence of the use of explosives," he said.He will make an official police report on the blasting.
First reports of the blasting were received after October 12 when journalist diver Jim Henderson and salesman Alan Robinson visited the wreck in separate parties.
Henderson and another diver John Cowen, who were together, said they were "appalled at the scene of wanton destruction."
Robinson at the wreck earlier on the same day with three companions said the damage area was only about 6ft. wide and it was hard to ascertain whether this had been caused by explosives.
During Sunday's diving, while Constable Martin was recovering a bronze candlestick with diver George Brenzi, a heavy section of the wreck, loosened by the blasting, fell between them.
"It was a nasty moment," said Brenzi. The block finished over my arm and against Constable Martin's shoulder. It could have pinned a single diver."
They estimated the section which fell weighed 200lb.
Many relics were recovered by the party, but the star finds of the day were a brass shoe buckle found by Brenzi, Constable Martin's candle-stick and a 1618 Spanish silver coin in excellent condition brought up by Roy Sonneman.
The divers were taken to the wreck by John Cowen of Wembley Downs and Jim Henderson, of Mt. Pleasant, aboard the 35ft. steel Cray boat Gay Jan.
Early in the day they visited the reef where the Cray boat’s skipper,
Graeme Fletcher said Alan Robinson claimed to have found the wreck in 1957.
This spot is about three miles away from the 1963 discovery.
FOOTNOTE: A controversy over who actually found the wreck has split the divers into two groups.
GILT DRAGON COINS
SOLD 1964
1965 CASE OF THE MISSING BONES
The Canberra Times Thursday March 11th 1965
Even I get a mention in the news. Rex Woodmore
MY DISTANT CONNECTION WITH THE BATAVIA WRECK
Rex Woodmore, Graham Hill, Barry Dalziell -
Where recruited by Allan Robinson, as security guards for the Perth Town Hall underwater exhibition. 1965 (An exhibition organised by the secretary of the Underwater Explorers Club, Allan Robinson and put together and manned by many of the UEC members)
PERTH. —Two red-faced schoolboys were given a ticking off and escorted out
of the Town Hall underwater exhibition. They tried to take two 300-year-old bones from, the rib cage of the Batavia skeleton. One of the organisers of the exhibition, Mr. Alan Robinson, chased the young souvenir hunters and took the bones from them. The bones were undamaged and fitted easily back into place on the ancient skeleton. The bone-stealers were aged 11 and 14 years. Said Mr. Robinson, "They didn't think they where going to get caught, but we are keeping a sharp lookout for young souvenir hunters." No further action is being taken against them. |
Barry Dalziell, 23, Graham Hill, 19, and Rex Woodmore, 20, have manned a "ghost guard" over the relics.
The brave little trio has been trying to sleep on the floor amid bleached upright skeletons and the-scattered bones of dead men, old coffins. leering stuffed sharks which hang on wires, and coins and relics of old galleons.
The exhibition is estimated to be' worth at least £50,000. It is insured for £10,000.
The three are members of the Underwater Explorers' Club..Said Graham Hill, "The first night was a bad one.
We all had a case of the jitters."We haven't tried to sleep before the 12 ' chimes ' of midnight.
"The first night, at about 3 a.m. the old rafters made some spooky creaking noises. One contracting board would set a whole
row off — it sounded like somebody running on the roof."
The brave little trio has been trying to sleep on the floor amid bleached upright skeletons and the-scattered bones of dead men, old coffins. leering stuffed sharks which hang on wires, and coins and relics of old galleons.
The exhibition is estimated to be' worth at least £50,000. It is insured for £10,000.
The three are members of the Underwater Explorers' Club..Said Graham Hill, "The first night was a bad one.
We all had a case of the jitters."We haven't tried to sleep before the 12 ' chimes ' of midnight.
"The first night, at about 3 a.m. the old rafters made some spooky creaking noises. One contracting board would set a whole
row off — it sounded like somebody running on the roof."
NOTE from Rex Woodmore (2019):
MYSTERIOUSLY THE TOWN HALL BELL RANG TWICE AT MIDNIGHT.
MYSTERIOUSLY THE TOWN HALL BELL RANG TWICE AT MIDNIGHT.
One night when Graham Hill and I were alone on 'Ghost guard' protecting the shipwreck relics in the town hall we climbed the narrow ladder up inside the bell tower, Graham was closest to the bell so I handed him my shoe and when the town hall bell rang at midnight, he bashed it with the heal of my shoe. So that's how the Perth Town Hall bell rang twice on the night of Saturday March 13th 1965.
But it was more of a "DONG! - Ding" than the usual "DING! - DONG!" |
1965 Gilt Dragon -Treasure comes to York
[ Allan Robinson was not the only one taking treasure from the wreck].
Thursday 28th November 1965
1970 LIBEL! ALLAN ROBINSON - SUING!
......and he wins!
1973 The court agreed that Allan Robinson had the legal right to a batch of confiscated coins from the Gilt Dragon and orders the CIB to return them to him. In 1973 worth $50.000 (In WA he could have bought two suburban houses for that much) In 2019, 2,500 Gilt Dragon coins are worth well over $1 million.
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1973 DIVING FOR SUNKEN TREASURE
The Straits Times September 11, 1973
1974 600 GILT DRAGON COINS FOR SALE
The Sydney Morning Herald March 29 1974
1974 ITS TREASURE BUT YOU CAN BUY IT
GILT DRAGON The Age April 2, 1974
VINDICATION!
After 13 years!
1977 GILT DRAGON WRECK VERDICT
Allan Robinson Vindicated!
The Sun Herald September 4, 1977
1977 CANBERRA TIMES Mon 5th September 1977
1983 ALLEGATIONS ALLAN ROBINSON ACCUSED
Sydney Morning Herald October 1983
1984 ALLAN ROBINSON FOUND HANGED
The Sydney Morning Herald June 7 1984
Treasure Hunter - Allan Robinson's Sad Ending.
Farewell to the man who saved my life!
Farewell to the man who saved my life!
A Barrister told me that after his co-accused was found not guilty, Allan would also have been found not guilty (and Allan knew it). But the next morning when he should have been in court for the last time, Ellis Alfred (Allan or Alan) Robinson Underwater Explorer of the Gilt Dragon (Vergulde Draeck fame) was found hanged in a prison cell (with an unexplained bump on his head) Rex Woodmore October 13, 2014
Email Rex Woodmore: [email protected] or [email protected]
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